The Week Ahead 07.27.12

The world’s wealthiest woman is also the world’s most pirated author. And to protect her new adult market novel, J.K. Rowling is trying to put a spell on would-be pirates.

“Rowling’s concerns over piracy have been very public,” Andrew Albanese, features editor at Publishers Weekly, reminds CCC’s Chris Kenneally. “She famously refused to allow the Harry Potter series to be made available in a digital format for years, citing piracy concerns. Now, with her first adult novel, The Casual Vacancy, which publishes in September in the U.S., her agency is pro-actively trying to tamp down the possibility of the book being ripped and shared by withholding the manuscript from publishers in territories considered high risk for piracy.” Albanese explains why the move has rankled.

Another author known for work catering to kids is also out to grow his audience; Rose Fox has the early word on whether he succeeds.

“Now that his early fans are all grown up, R.L. Stine is trying his hand at horror for adults,” she says. “In Red Rain, two spooky twin children terrorize a small town… Unfortunately, the PW reviewer says the story doesn’t quite hold together, relying too heavily on clichés pulled straight out of horror movies.”

Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.